Rifle scope mounting height assessment tool

ABSTRACT

A rifle scope mounting height assessment tool has a frame having a mounting facility configured to removable connect to the mounting facility of the rifle, a cradle movably connected to the frame and operable to move among a plurality of different vertical positions, the cradle defining a rifle scope support passage, and a retention element operable to secure the cradle relative to the frame in a selected one of the plurality of different vertical positions. The cradle may be constrained for only vertical translation movement with respect to the frame. The cradle may be moved only in translation with respect to the frame. The cradle may define an upwardly open channel. The rifle scope support passage may include a lower surface portion facing upward and configured to contact a lower surface of a cylindrical scope tube.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Pat. Application No. 18/110,559 filed on Feb. 16, 2023, entitled “DEVICE TO DETERMINE THE CORRECT MOUNTING HEIGHT OF AN OPTICAL SIGHT ON A RIFLE,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. Application No. 63/311,086 filed on Feb. 17, 2022, entitled “DEVICE TO DETERMINE THE CORRECT MOUNTING HEIGHT OF AN OPTICAL SIGHT ON A RIFLE,” which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to a rifle scope mounting height assessment tool that enables the proper rifle scope height and eye relief to be easily determined and cross-referenced to available scope rings.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Rifle scopes are fitted to rifles using scope rings. Because every user and rifle scope has different physical characteristics, a variety of scope rings are available to provide different scope heights and eye reliefs. However, the current method for determining the correct rifle scope height and eye relief consist of an expensive, time consuming, and impractical trial and error process. It is possible that users will settle for a suboptimal rifle scope height and eye relief because of a variety of factors, including a limited variety of rifle scope rings being available and becoming frustrated with the process.

Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved rifle scope mounting height assessment tool that enables the proper rifle scope height and eye relief to be easily determined and cross-referenced to available scope rings. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of enabling the proper rifle scope height and eye relief to be easily determined and cross-referenced to available scope rings.

The present invention provides an improved rifle scope mounting height assessment tool, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved rifle scope mounting height assessment tool that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned above.

To attain this, the preferred embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises a frame having a mounting facility configured to removable connect to the mounting facility of the rifle, a cradle movably connected to the frame and operable to move among a plurality of different vertical positions, the cradle defining a rifle scope support passage, and a retention element operable to secure the cradle relative to the frame in a selected one of the plurality of different vertical positions. The cradle may be constrained for only vertical translation movement with respect to the frame. The cradle may be moved only in translation with respect to the frame. The cradle may define an upwardly open channel. The rifle scope support passage may include a lower surface portion facing upward and configured to contact a lower surface of a cylindrical scope tube. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the current embodiment of a rifle scope mounting height assessment tool constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention in use attached to a scope rail with a rifle scope installed.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of FIG. 1 detached from the scope rail.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of FIG. 1 with the cradle at a low height setting.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of FIG. 1 with the cradle at an elevated height setting.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of FIG. 1 with the cradle at a low height setting.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of FIG. 1 with the cradle at an elevated height setting.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

FIGS. 1-6 illustrate the improved rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 of the present invention. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool in use attached to a scope rail 12 with a rifle scope 14 installed. The scope rail is already installed on a rifle (not shown) in the in use circumstances depicted. The scope rail serves as a mounting facility configured to receive scope support structures. FIGS. 2-6 illustrate the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 detached from the scope rail. FIGS. 3 & 5 illustrate the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 with the cradle 16 at a low height setting. FIGS. 4 & 6 illustrate the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 with the cradle at an elevated height setting.

The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 has a frame 18 having a mounting facility 20 configured to removably connect to the scope rail 12 of the rifle. This is accomplished by the frame has opposed sidewalls 22, 24 that each define a clamp channel 26, 28 configured to closely receive a portion of the scope rail. A cross bolt 30 releasably clamps together the opposed sidewalls to prevent side to side movement of the frame and is received by a slot 32 defined by the scope rail to prevent forward and rearward movement of the frame. The cradle 16 is movably connected to the frame and operable to move among a plurality of different vertical positions. The cradle defines a rifle scope support passage 34. A retention element 36 is operable to secure the cradle relative to the frame in a selected one of the plurality of different vertical positions.

The cradle 16 is constrained for only vertical translation movement with respect to the frame 18. The cradle is moved only in translation with respect to the frame (the cradle is constrained from tilting). The cradle defines an upwardly open channel 38. The rifle scope support passage 34 includes a lower surface portion 40 facing upward and configured to contact a lower surface 42 of a cylindrical scope tube 44 of the rifle scope 14. The cradle includes a centering facility configured to resist movement of a rifle scope laterally off center, which includes opposed spring elements 48, 50 configured to laterally center the rifle scope within the upwardly open channel.

The frame 18 defines a plurality of apertures 52, each associated with a selected vertical position. The apertures are defined in pairs, with an aperture of each pair in one of the opposed sidewalls 22, 24. The apertures are grouped into a plurality of groups, each associated with a scope tube diameter. Indicia 54 are associated with each group associated with the scope tube diameter. The plurality of different vertical positions is selected from a list including positions associated with a selected limited inventory of scope support structures. The scope support structures are preferably scope rings or a unimount. In the current embodiment, the retention element 36 is a pin passing through a selected aperture, and supportively contacting a lower surface portion 54 of the cradle 16. The retention element has a length greater than a width 56 of the cradle such that the retention element contacts both opposed sidewalls of the frame.

A second retention element 58 is connected to the frame 18 and is operable to secure the cradle 16 and a supported rifle scope 14 to the frame using hooks 46. The second retention element can be any suitable material that will hold down the supported rifle scope within the upwardly open channel 38 of the cradle to prevent the rifle scope from falling out that can also adjust to a variety of sizes of cylindrical scope tubes 44. Suitable materials include elastomeric O rings and straps with hook and loop fasteners. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 can include a second frame and cradle assembly 100 configured to mount to the scope rail 12 of the rifle in a spaced-apart relation with the frame. The second frame and cradle assembly can be an exact duplicate of the cradle 16, frame 18, and their associated parts and features.

To use the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10, the user slides the opposed sidewalls 22, 24 of the frame 18 onto the scope rail 12 of the rifle and secures the frame in place using the cross bolt 30. A second frame and cradle assembly 100 can also be mounted to the scope rail of the rifle in a spaced-apart relation with the frame. The cradles 16 are placed into the frames, and a rifle scope 14 is subsequently placed into the rifle scope support passages 34 of the cradles. The rifle scope is secured against the lower surface portion 40 and the opposed spring elements 48, 50 of each cradle by the second retention elements 58. This prevents the rifle scope from falling out during testing and ensures the rifle scope is laterally centered within the upwardly open channels 38. The user then lifts the rifle scope to a desired test height, which in turn lifts the cradles within the frames. Once the rifle scope has reached the desired test height, the user inserts the retention elements 36 into the closest pair of apertures 52 in each frame to releasably secure the cradles at the desired height. The user then shoulders the rifle and checks for correct scope mount height. The rifle scope can be moved forward or rearward within the cradles to obtain the correct eye relief. If the rifle scope is too high or too low, the user can move the retention elements upwards or downwards to determine the correct scope mount height. Once the correct scope mount height has been achieved, the user observes the indicia 54 associated with the pairs of apertures in each frame that receive the retention elements. The user then cross-references the indicia with the list of scope rings and unit amounts available to determine which size to purchase.

Because the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 is only intended to rapidly determine the proper rifle scope height and eye relief, and does not have to withstand recoil forces associated with firing the rifle, the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool 10 can be made from inexpensive injected molded plastic parts.

In the context of the specification, the terms “rear” and “rearward,” and “front” and “forward,” have the following definitions: “rear” or “rearward” means in the direction away from the muzzle of the firearm while “front” or “forward” means it is in the direction towards the muzzle of the firearm.

While a current embodiment of a rifle scope mounting height assessment tool has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Although rifles have been disclosed, the rifle scope mounting height assessment tool is also suitable for use with shotguns, light and medium machine guns, and other firearms. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A rifle scope mounting height assessment tool for a rifle having a mounting facility configured to receive scope support structures, the tool comprising: a frame having a mounting facility configured to removably connect to the mounting facility of the rifle; a cradle movably connected to the frame and operable to move among a plurality of different vertical positions; the cradle defining a rifle scope support passage; and a retention element operable to secure the cradle relative to the frame in a selected one of the plurality of different vertical positions.
 2. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the cradle is constrained for only vertical translation movement with respect to the frame.
 3. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the cradle is moved only in translation with respect to the frame.
 4. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the cradle defines an upwardly open channel.
 5. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the rifle scope support passage includes a lower surface portion facing upward and configured to contact a lower surface of a cylindrical scope tube.
 6. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the cradle includes a centering facility configured to resist movement of a rifle scope laterally off center.
 7. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the cradle includes opposed spring elements configured to laterally center the rifle scope.
 8. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the frame defines a plurality of apertures, each associated with a selected vertical position.
 9. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 8 wherein the frame has opposed sidewalls and the apertures are defined in pairs, with an aperture of each pair in one of the opposed sidewalls.
 10. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 8 wherein the apertures are grouped into a plurality of groups, each associated with a scope tube diameter.
 11. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 10 including indicia associated with each group associated with the scope tube diameter.
 12. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 8 including a pin passing through a selected aperture, and supportively contacting a lower surface portion of the cradle.
 13. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 12 wherein the pin has a length greater than a width of the cradle such that the pin contacts opposed sidewalls of the frame.
 14. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 including a second retention element connected to the frame and operable to secure the cradle and a supported rifle scope to the frame.
 15. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 including a second frame and cradle assembly configured to mount to the mounting facility of the rifle in a spaced-apart relation with the frame.
 16. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the plurality of different vertical positions is selected from a list including positions associated with a selected limited inventory of scope support structures.
 17. The rifle scope mounting height assessment tool of claim 1 wherein the scope support structures are scope rings. 